The evolution of Cyber Monday and Black Friday

The high street may have quietened down since Black Friday, however, today the online shops are feeling the impact on Cyber Monday.

The name Cyber Monday, which made its debut in November 2005, was coined to mark the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday and was made to encourage people to shop online.

Cyber Monday, is the online equivalent for Black Friday, the informal name given to the day after Thanksgiving, something that is now observed by retailers globally.

While the days bring excitement for the sales and money-saving opportunities, Anthony Hill, Deals Editor for MoneySavingExpert, said it has become a marketing technique for shops.

He said: “Each year, since Black Friday migrated here from the US, we’ve seen an increasing number of retailers jumping on the bandwagon in a bid to boost their pre-xmas sales around November payday.

“This means that consumers have to be savvy shoppers, as not all Black Friday deals were created equal.

“Always check prices elsewhere before you buy and remember it’s only a good deal if it’s something you had planned to buy. Bagging 30% off a £100 item you haven’t budgeted for is not a £30 saving, it’s a £70 overspend.”

Leading online shopping brand, Amazon, brought the concept to our shores back in 2010 with prices being slashed on many items and, since then, more and more UK retailers have come aboard.

However, the days have not only sparked concern that it is a waste of consumers money, but it has also created concerns over climate change.

Last weeks, activists across France staged protests against the Online retail front runner Amazon, including attempts to blockade shopping and logistics centres in the country. Protesters say that these days encourage wasteful impulse buying.